The Amastacia
A magically enhanced Brigantine, under the command of Argus Galven. History. Commissioned by the Amnish navy some four years ago, Ocean Pride was designed and built by shipwrights imported from Impiltur, working alongside several Amnish designers. Incorporating the finest materials, her construction was funded, in part, by several powerful merchant families who were hoping for a break-through in regards to ship building that could usher in a new era of safety on the seas for Amnish shipping. She was built for the sole purpose of escorting merchant cogs and chasing down stray pirate vessels. Her speed and manoeuvrability were of paramount importance and came at the price of her cargo holds – with a mind that for long voyages, additional supplies could be transferred over to her crew via a fleet’s supply vessels. Unfortunately for those that invested time and gold into her construction, The Ocean Pride made only one trip under Amnish colours. Her launch and sail around the harbour of Murann excited those that had built her, yet, her career was cut short by the attack and seizure of Murann. Ocean Pride, then in the drydock and having the last touches applied to her hull, was left during the evacuation - on the verge of being finished. She was won during a gambling spree, by a Nelanther-based captain who, recognising the sleek design for what it was, spent the next few years having the finishing touches applied to her. Her true, maiden voyage, was in 1373 during the besieging of Murann by Amnish and Mercenary forces. Her captain, as with most of the Nelanther pirates, cut their losses early and set sail, taking a large portion of the city’s wealth with them as they fled retribution that had been some years in the coming. Then named ‘Luck’, she was part of the fleet intercepted and assaulted by ‘Sea-Wraith’, under the command of Captain Cianier Dy’Nien. Her quartermaster, and trusted right hand, Argus Galven boarded ‘Luck’ during the fighting. After extensive fighting, his marines seized the ship, turned her around and used her ballistae to ward off a counter-boarding. After the battle, Argus elected to keep the ship – he recognised the design as well as his captain did and while she intended to sell the ship in Waterdeep, Argus had other plans. On reaching Waterdeep, he attempted to purchase the ship with his share of the treasure and bounties that had been claimed. Cianier, of course, denied his request. Instead, one day later, she gifted it to him and as the crew had agreed, all took a sizeable hit to their pay that week which would have been bolstered, greatly, by the sale of the vessel. ‘Luck’ was, at the time, berthed in drydock and promptly became the subject of a dispute between Dy’Nien, who had claimed salvage rights (and gifted the vessel to Galven) and the Amnish ambassador and authorities. Argus busied himself contracting a half dozen of Waterdeep’s guildmages and shipwrights and had the vessel refitted, a task that was overseen by Sorsha, and then Cianier. At Cianier’s insistence, several mainstays of her old ship were stripped and installed on ‘Luck’ before her vessel was towed away, back to Evermeet. The result is a ship that is, quite literally, in a class of its own, due to both its revolutionary design and hull, the additions from Waterdeep’s finest shipwrights and the work of the mages in bolstering its design. Vital Statistics: Length: 80 feet Bredth: 20 feet Masts: 3 Crew: 40 Augmentations: Compartmentalised Hull (harder to sink) Streamlined hull (increased speed and manoeuvrability). Sprinter (Increased speed). Masterwork Rudder and Helm. (increased handling) Treated Hull. (Hardness of the wood is increased.) Additional crew quarters (slightly less cargo space) Armament: Thundercannon x6 Gifted by Cianier, and armed by Sorsha’s alchemical mischief, these cannon sit behind cleverly hidden gunports on the lower-deck. They are a jealously guarded secret of The Amastacia and have yet to be witnessed in action. Stinger x8 Another of Cianier’s gifts to Argus, these repeating ballistae were stripped from the Sea-Wraith one day before the elven frigate was effectively decommissioned. Four are mouted mid-ships, two are mounted toward the aft to protect the captain and the ship’s wheel. Sun-Mirrorx1 Seized by Sorsha during one of the Sea-Wraith’s clashes with a Calimshite naval vessel, this large, concave mirror is mounted in the crow’s nest. Hidden beneath heavy canvases, as yet, nobody has witnessed the mirror being used. Heavy Ballistae x1 Mounted in the fore of the ship, on a turning platform that helps this large, otherwise cumbersome weapon gain a greater field of fire. This Ballistae is often loaded with speciality bolts, depending on the needs and/or mood of the captain. Magical Augmentations: Energy Shielded, Greater Along the gunwales and masts of The Amastacia, one sees stormy motifs carved into the wood that seem to waver and move when indirectly looked at. This ship’s hull and rigging have damage reduction 30, lightning. Graceful Ship: Unusually agile and fast, the Graceful ship also grants a +4 to profession checks pertaining to sailing and handling her. Windless: This ship generates her own wind, which can be controlled by the captain, or ship magus. Enhanced Rigging: Amastacia’s rigging is partially animated, allowing for less crew to maintain her sailing, or, making it easier for rigging to be adjusted in adverse conditions. Adding a +2 competence bonus to rope skill checks and allowing for less crew to be allotted to the rigging and it is capable of performing all but the most complicated of tasks. Red Dragon Figurehead. ''' This animated Figurehead may fire an 80 foot line of fire (dealing 10d10 damage) every 1d4 rounds. It also grants the ship immunity to fire damage. It may be animated once per week, for up to ten minutes. During that time it is capable of attacking, and communicates telepathically with the captain using draconic or common. '''NonDetection: This ship, and all aboard her, are warded from scrying and other means of magical detection. Teleportation: Teleportation onto the ship is not possible, except when it is made into a small room where the wardings have not been extended. This room can accommodate four people, standing. It is located behind a physically hidden door in the officer’s wardroom. Magical Smugglers Hold. This cargo hold is accessed via either the cargo hatch, or a small door that leads into the ship’s hull from the officer’s hallway. Both methods require an activation word, and for the person attempting to open them to be in possession of one of three specially crafted tokens which must be pressed against the portal while the word is spoken. Attempting to enter by any other means results in the hold sealing, and the ship alarm sounding. This hold is twice the size of the ship’s unmodified hold; anything within it contributes only minorly to the ship’s weight and displacement. Built into the cargo hold is a small alchemist’s lab. Note: Elements taken from 'Salt and Sea Dogs' and 'Stormwrack' supplements. Category:Important Places Category:Magical Items